Motorcycle wheel chocks are commonly utilized when transporting motorcycles. The wheel chock provides a support for the motorcycle wheel. However, prior art wheel chocks have many problems. The patents discussed below illustrate numerous attempts made in the past to solve the various problems associated with motorcycle wheel chocks. Wheel chock problems often revolve around the time required for installation, removal, or relocation, and/or structural changes required to trailers and other transports, manufacturing costs, and/or the size or complexity of the structure required for mounting the wheel chock. Other problems relate to the supporting structure and the stability of the mounting. For instance, after mounting one or more chocks in a trailer, it may be desirable to transport differently sized motorcycles or a different number of motorcycles than the original mounting was made for. Motorcycles to be transported may be of different lengths, weights, or the like. It may also be desirable to utilize the transport for other purposes, thereby requiring the removal of one or more wheel chocks.
The following patents describe previous attempts made in the prior art to address the above problems:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,402, issued Nov. 23, 1999, to W. R. Mayfield discloses a motorcycle stand including a primary capture mechanism that consists of a transverse rod on which are mounted two vertical capture plates that translate inward as the motorcycle tire enters the stand. The capture plates are mounted for rotation orthogonally to the translation concomitantly with a tire contact plate. Translation of the plates is accomplished by the spring action and location of a pair of compressible pivot rods that have one end mounted forward and outward of the main rotation axis of the tire contact plate and the other end affixed to the sides of the capture plates. Forward rotation of the primary capture mechanism results in inward translation of the capture plates until they contact the tire sidewall. Further rotation results in compression of the springs in each pivot rod. A second, upper engagement shoe cooperates to ensure that the tire is fully captured. Accommodation of wider tires is accomplished by a longer and more compressible pivot rod or by providing a second, outward location for the compressible pivot rod which will allow capture of the widest of motorcycle rear tires.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0117465 A1, filed Jan. 15, 2002, to G. A. Ehrgott discloses a mounting device support member, comprising: (a) at least one rigid mounting body comprising a first lateral end and a second lateral end; (b) a first retention device attached to the first lateral end of the rigid mounting body and an opposing second retention device attached to the second lateral end of the rigid mounting body, the retention device comprising: (i) a cargo control track insert, the insert having upper and lower notches which define at least one adjacent resilient finger which extends beyond the opposing edges of a receiving member receptacle, (ii) a positive engagement latch, movably mounted on the retention device, the positive engagement latch being movable between a notch blocking position and a release position, and (iii) a positive engagement latch operating means, mounted on the retention device, capable of selectively enabling moving the positive engagement latch between the notch blocking position and the release position. The present invention further provides a wheel chock device for supporting a vehicle. Finally, this provides a method for storage of implements comprising using the provided storage system.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0050034 A1, published Dec. 13, 2001, to L. G. Gross, discloses a skid having a platform with a top, a bottom, a first side, a first elongated tube extending along the length of the first side, a second side, a second elongated tube extending along the length of the second side, a front end, a rear end, and one or more channels in the top positioned longitudinally in the platform, thereby creating a first top panel and a second top panel, wherein the platform is formed from a single sheet of material, e.g., metal or a composite. Two fork pockets are secured to the top of the platform traverse to the channels, thereby defining front and rear channel portions. A front end cap is secured to the top of the platform at the front end, and a center piece is secured to the top of the platform at a predefined fixed distance between the front end cap and the first fork pocket. A plurality of corrugations are formed optionally on the first fork pocket and the second fork pocket, and are formed optionally on the first top panel and the second top panel. Two or more rear end caps are secured to the top of the platform at the rear end. A method for making the skid uses a single flat sheet of material to form the platform, or alternatively, to form two or more portions of the platform that are joined along one or more seams. A method for recycling the skid receives the skid and either reuses, refurbishes, or recycles its component parts depending on the skid's condition.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0119035 A1, published Aug. 29, 2002, to S. P. Hamilton discloses a transporting assembly for maneuvering a motorcycle around a garage or onto the back bed of a tow truck. The transporting assembly includes a rear chock associated with the back side of the front wheel, a front chock associated with the front side of the front wheel, and a dolly coupled to both front and rear chocks. The dolly has an actuator that causes the dolly to extend two of its arms to raise the transporting assembly off the floor, so that when the front wheel of the cycle is strapped onto the transporting assembly, as the dolly is actuated, the transporting assembly, along with the front wheel of the cycle, raises off of the floor. The free ends of the arms are coupled to a wheel so that the entire transporting assembly and the cycle may be maneuvered about the floor by a single operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,557, issued Apr. 4, 1995, to T. M. Dalen, discloses a tie-down device of the type comprising an inelastic element, a locking device, and an elastic element. The elastic element is used to maintain tie-down tension under conditions where the use of an inelastic tie-down alone could develop slack thereby resulting in the failure of the tie-down. Applications where dynamic forces similar to those encountered by trailers carrying motorcycles will benefit from the use of this tie-down device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,676, issued Dec. 28, 1999, to Creek et al., discloses a packaging skid or pallet having a base including a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two end surfaces. A pair of longitudinally extending channel members are secured to the base and define cavities for receiving lifting forks associated with a lift truck. A number of transversely extending cross members are secured to the channel members and/or the base. A first support tray is fixed to the base between the channel members and two cross members for receiving and retaining a front wheel associated with a motorcycle. A second support tray is fixed to the base between the channel members and two different cross members. A chock is positioned within the second support tray to support aback wheel of the motorcycle. The chock can be repositioned within the second support tray to accommodate motorcycles having different wheelbases. The components of the skid are formed from light weight rolled steel to resist corrosion and to reduce weight compared to a comparable wooden skid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,817, issued Apr. 12, 1994, to S. G. Merritt, discloses a stand which is to be placed on a supportive surface which is to engage in a supporting manner with the front wheel of a motorcycle. The stand is to support the motorcycle in its normal upright position. The stand includes a backbone member within which the front wheel of the motorcycle is to be cradled in a closely conforming manner. Associated with the backbone member is a right side support and a left side support which are located in a facing relationship with the backbone member located there between. Both the right side support and the left side support are adjustably mounted on the backbone member so as to vary the spacing between the supports so as to accommodate different sizes of tires of motorcycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,517, issued Jan. 15, 1974, to W. D. Brajkovich, discloses a sturdy light weight means for holding a motorcycle in upright rigid position during transporting in a truck, trailer, and the like which includes a base plate secured in the truck or trailer upon which a curved channel is pivotly mounted. The channel suitably receives the size and shape of the front wheel of a motorcycle and extends in supporting contact for not less than one hundred eighty degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,202, issued Jul. 5, 1994, to K. A. Stubbs, discloses a strapping system for maintaining a motorcycle in an upright position during transport including two interconnected straps with cuffs engaging the grips of the handle bars.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,597, issued Mar. 20, 1984, to R. H. Doyle, discloses a mounting apparatus for a vehicle with wheels having tires thereon which includes support means including a tire-engaging securing member for preventing vehicle movement in a first direction by engagement with one of the tires, and apparatus for preventing vehicle movement in a second direction opposite from the first direction by engaging the tire, and including a second securing member which has a tire-engaging portion and is pivotal about a first pivot on the support means for movement to and from a tire engaging position, and a third securing member which is pivotally mounted for movement into and from a tire-engaging position. The third securing member is preferably pivotally mounted at a second pivot which is on an end portion of the second securing member opposite from the tire-engaging portion of the second member, thus to cause displacement of the second pivot to urge the engaging portion of the third member into engagement with the tire when the second securing member is pivotally moved into its tire-engaging position.
The above cited prior art does not provide an inexpensive, easily installable, easily positionable or removable, wheel chock. Consequently, there remains a need to provide an improved wheel chock construction. Those of skill in the art will appreciate the present invention which addresses the above problems and other significant problems.